Buckle.



J. W. DAVIS.

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Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WATSON DAVIS, 01? MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

BUCKLE.

Application filed September 3, 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN lVATsoN Davis, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to buckles, and has for its object to provide a buckle such that after the free end of the strap has been secured therein in the ordinary way the two ends of the strap may be drawn together to tighten the strap and conversely, when it is desired to remove the strap, the two ends may be separated to loosen the same before withdrawing the strap from the tongue.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one form,-Figure1 is a plan view of my buckle. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing tightening means in open position. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 taken in sect-ion through the center of the buckle. Fig. 4 is a side View of the buckle with the parts closed. I

The buckle comprises a pair of side members 10 and 11 which are in the form of parallel plates and are connected by the front and rear crossbars 12 and 13, respectively, the crossbar 13 being secured to raised portions 14 of side members 10 and 11 for a purpose later to be given. The members 10 and 11 are also provided with a central raised portion 15 between which is a bar 16 having thereon a tongue 17 adapted to engage the crossbar 12 for the purpose of passing through an eyelet in the strap to be secured by the buckle in the usual way, as indicated in Fig. 3. The crossbar 16 is shown journaled at its ends in the projecting portions 15, but it is obvious that the crossbar 16 may be stationary and the tongue 17 pivotally mounted upon crossbar 16, also that the tongue 17 may be round in cross section, curved or otherwise formed in a manner similar to buckle tongues generally. Each of the side members 10 and 11 is provided with an elongated slot 18 which may be curved upwardly into the projecting portions 15, if desired, as indicated at 19. A lever member is formed of two side bars 20 and 21 united at the rear end by a pair of crossbars 22 and 23, the forward end of said Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Apr. '1, 1913. Serial No. 718,231.

side bars being secured to a rod 24 which extends through the slots 18 in members 10 and 11 and is freely slidable along said slots, the members 20 and 21 being secured to the ends of bar 24 outside of the members 10 and 11. A pair of links 25 and 26 are each pivotally connected to the front ends of members 10 and 11, respectively, as indicated at 27 and 28, these links in turn being pivotally. connected, as indicated at 29 and 30, respectively, to the side members 20 and 21 of the aforesaid lever.

The strap 31 will be permanently secured at one end in the usual way to the bar 24. The free end of the strap, after the same has been passed around the article to be bound thereby, will be passed under crossbar 12 and drawn up as tightly as conveniently may be done and the tongue 17 inserted through an aperture in the strap in the usual way, the parts being in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The lever formed of members 20 and 21 and crossbars 22 and 23 will then be drawn backward and pushed down into the posit-ion shown in Fig. 4, by which operation the crossbar 24 will be caused to travel along slot 18 and the end of the strap secured to said crossbar will thus be caused to approach the end of the strap held by the tongue and the strap thereby be greatly tightened. The length of the slot 18 may conveniently be made from one-half an inch to two inches or more, according to the size of the buckle and the purpose for which it is intended. When the members are brought into the position shown in Fig. 4 the crossbars 22 and 23 will come on opposite sides of the crossbar 13, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and the free end 32 of the strap will be thrust beneath the crossbar 13 and above the crossbars 22 and 23, which will lock the lever in position.

My new buckle can be constructed at very little greater expense than the ordinary buckle, is simple and practical in use, and has manifest use from the fact that it enables a strap to be tightened and loosened to the degree required without the necessity of great strength on the part of the user or a long strap end available for a hand-hold. With this device a woman or child will be able to strap up trunks and other containers securely where it now requires the eflorts of a strong man.

I claim:

1. A buckle comprising a frame having longitudinally slotted side members, a tongue pivotally secured on the frame, a crossbar relatively movable with respect to the tongue having the ends thereof mounted within and for movement along said slots, said crossbar being adapted to have the end of-the strap secured thereto, and means to move the crossbar along the slots and toward the tongue to effect tightening of the strap.

2. A buckle comprising a frame having longitudinally slotted side members, a tongue pivotally secured on the frame, a crossbar relatively movable with respect to the tongue having the ends thereof mounted within and for movement along said slots, said crossbar being adapted to have the end of the strap secured thereto, a lever on said crossbar, and a link pivotally secured to the side member and the lever, whereby movement of the lever will move the crossbar along the slots and toward the tongue to effect tightening of the strap.

3. A buckle comprising a frame having longitudinally slotted side members, a tongue pivotally secured on the frame, a crossbar having the ends thereof mounted within and for movement along said slots, said crossbar being adapted to have the end of a strap secured thereto, a lever comprising two arms secured to the crossbar outside of the side members, and a pair of links each pivotally connected with a side member and an arm, respectively, whereby movement of the lever will operate to move the crossbar along the slots.

4:. A buckle comprising a frame having side members each provided with a longitudinal slot upwardly curved at one end, a crossbar having the ends thereof mounted within and for movement along said slots, said crossbar being adapted to have the end of the strap secured thereto, a tongue pivoted on the frame, and means to move the crossbar along the slots and toward the tongue to effect tightening of the strap.

5. A buckle comprising a frame having longitudinally slotted side members, a cross bar mounted within and for movement along said slots and being adapted to have the end of the strap secured thereto, a lever for moving the crossbar along the slots, and means for holding the lever in fixed position after the same has effected movement of the crossbar.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WATSON DAVIS.

Witnesses:

H. A. BOWMAN, F. A. WHITELEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. I 

